1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging module including a plurality of optical units.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a technique for estimating a distance to a target object using a stereo camera or a multiple-lens imaging apparatus having multiple cameras arranged in a lattice pattern is known. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-157851 discusses a technique in which a distance can be estimated by searching for corresponding points based on images having parallax obtained by a stereo camera or a multiple-lens imaging apparatus. The term “parallax” indicates the angle or semi-angle between two lines-of-sight from an imaging device to an object.
However, a distance based on images having parallax may not always be obtained appropriately due to specular reflection occurring on surfaces of glass, water, and plastic, for example. This is because reflected light from the subject cannot be properly obtained in an area having a large specular reflection component in the image.